Country Fried Steak

1 pound round steak

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons bacon grease or Canola oil

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

Trim fat from meat and cut into 4 equal serving pieces. Pound steak with a mallet to tenderize it. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow, wide bowl and dredge each piece of meat in it, coating well on both sides. Heat grease or oil until hot but not smoking in a large, heavy skillet with a lid.

Brown the meat pieces on both sides, turn heat down a bit, cover and let steak fry like chicken for 15 minutes, until done. Remove cover and let steak crisp for about 5 minutes. Take steak from the pan and drain.

Leave about 2 tablespoons of drippings and all the browned flecks of crust in the pan. Turn the heat a bit lower, sprinkle flour into the drippings and stir to keep from lumping until it browns slightly. Slowly add milk, stirring. Let it cook over low heat until thick, about 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add seasoning, if needed.

Serve gravy on the side.

Makes 4 servings